Concentrator.



Patented Mar. 25, |902.

J. LEHRRITTER.

CDNCENTRATOR.

(Application mea o'ce. so, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 696,058. Patented Mar. 2'5, |902.

J. A. LEHRRITTER.

CDNCENTRATUB.

(Application led Oct. 30, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Nn.`696,u58. Patented Mar. 25, |902.

J. A. LEHRBITTEB. coNcENTnAToR.

(Application led Oct. 30, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNITED' lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. LEHRRITTER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,058, dated March 25, 1902.

Application iiled October 30, 1900. Serial No. 34,965. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that-.1, JOHN A. LEHRRITTER, a citizenof the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which formV a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for concentrating pulverized orev or other material containing mineral values and effecting a separation of the said values from the gangue. j Y

The invention embodies certain'features of .construction intended to improve and-perfectV the apparatus set forth in Patent No. 660,342,"

dated October 23, 1900, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in' which- Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a concentrating apparatus equippedwith myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the saine. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line oo 0c, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the construction for changing the inclination of the lower table. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top viewof the slotted bar attached to the table, showing one of the separating-fingers in place. Fig. 6 is a section taken through the same. Fig. 7 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the divided feed-water trough. Fig. 8 is a top View of the same. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of an auxiliary sliding conveyer adj ustably attached to the return-conveyer. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a flanged metallic rifiie. Fig. 11 is a section taken through the slime trough or conveyer. Figs. 12 and 13 are fragmentary top'and side views of the upper table, illustrating the tailings trough or conveyer. Fig. 14 isa fragmentary top view of the return-conveyor, showing the slime-comparte ment. Fig.15 is a cross-section taken through the same,showing the tailings-trough in place. Fig. 16 shows the manner of hinging the lower table to the upper table. Fig. 17furtherillustrates the construction for adjusting the inclination of the lower table. Fig. 1S is a section taken through the 4return-conveyer on the linee/y, Fig.12. on the line z e, Fig. 12.

- The same re ference characters indicate th same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the relatively stationary base, `upon which are mounted two table members 5 and 6, which are normally laterally inclined. (See Fig. 3.) The lower table 6 is hinged at its upper edge to the supporting structure, whereby it is independently adjustable to vary its inclination to correspond with the character of the material to be treated. The material treated by the lower V Fig. 19 is asection taken table passes thereto from the upper table retreatment. Hence the function of the lower table; but as the material passing to the lower table is different in character from that which is treated by the upper table it is often desirable to change the inclination of the lower table, so that it shall be dierent from the inclination of the upper table. This independent lateral adjustabilityof the lower table forms one of my improvements. It may be accomplished in any desired manner. As shownin the drawings, the lower table is provided with arms A, one of which is shown in Fig. 16. These arms are hinged to projections B on'the upper table by means of bolts C. (See Fig. 16.) The lower portion of the table 6 is provided with blocks 7, having inclined lower faces, which are engaged by the inclined faces of blocks 8, attached to the bar Sn. This bar is provided with a lug Se, having a threaded opening engaged by an adjusting-screw 10, which is journaled in a part D, stationary with reference to the table part 6. By turning this screw it is evident that the inclination of the table 6 may be regulated at pleasure.

The riiiles 12 of each table are angular in cross-section, being provided with a bottom iiange' 12, forming a right angle with the vertical part 12C. The riffles are so arranged that the flanges 12 project upwardly on the IOO their exposed edges form an obstruction or shallow riiile part, facilitating the catching of the concentrates on the riiiled surface of the table.

The slime-troughs 13 extend diagonally across the head of the respective table members. Each slime-trough marks the line of the head extremities of the riftles. Along each of these troughs 13 and on the side adjacent the rifes is placed a rib or diagonal ritle 14 to prevent the finer concentrates from passing through the wire-cloth screen 13L into the sliine-trougli. This screen 13 occupies an inclined position and covers the top of each trough. The rib 14 causes an accumulation of water equal to the depth of the rib at the head of the table along the slime-trough to facilitate the concentration and settling of the mineial values. Vithout the rib 14 the water would be drawn oi from the table through the slime-tiough. In the operation of a table of this character its tail or the extremity farther to the right (see Figs. l and 2) is highest, causing the water to ow naturally toward the head of the table. Each table is provided at its lower right-hand corner with a slotted bar15, bent around the corner of the table. Through the slot 15a of this bar are passed thumb-screws 1G, to which are attached separating-fingers 17, adapted to be adjusted to separate the concentrates from the middlings or to separate the concentrates into a number of dierent grades,

as may be required. By loosening its thumbscrew any finger may be moved along the bar at will, the stem of thescrew sliding in the slot of the bar.

Mounted upon the return-conveyer 18,which receives the middlings discharged from the upper table, is an auxiliary conveyer 19, which may be arranged to receive a grade 0f tailings containing no mineral values, whereby they may be discharged directly from the machine, thus avoiding the necessity of passing them over the concentrating-surface of the lower table, where they would only be a burden and interfere with the treatment of the middlings discharged thereon from the return-conveyer. These worthless tailings are discharged through an opening controlled by a gate E, whence they pass by way of a trough E', formed at the head of the table 6, to the tailings-conveyer 2O of the said table, whence they are discharged from the machine. It will be understood that whatever 1s discharged into the conveyer 2O of the lower table is supposed to contain no mineral values. This conveyer 20 of the lower table is also provided with a suitable slidable trough 21, supported on the upper edge of the conveyer` and adapted to catch and save the middlings from the lower edge of the tail of the table in case it is desirable to save any portion of the tailings from said table.

The sliine-trough 13 of the table 5 is arranged to discharge into a compartment 18, separated from the return-conveyer compartment by a partition 18C. In the bottom of this compartment 18n are formed a number of openings 18d, through which the slimes pass to the lower table, whose upper edge projects under and below the lower edge of the upper table, whereby the slimes are delivered to the table 6 in the rear or to the right of (see Figs. 1 and 2) the discharge of the middlings to the said table from the head extremity of the return-conveyer 18, whereby these slimes are carried rearwardly or toward the tail of the table by the heavier material in front and saved with the concentrates at the discharge extremity or tail at the extreme right of the table 6. In the bottom of the slime-compartment 1S:l are formed grooves 18g, which are continued across the bottom of the main return-conveyer in order to catch any values that may settle as the material passes toward the head of the conveyer. Whatever is caught in these grooves passes in the direction indicated by the arrows (see Fig. 14) to the upper edge of the lower table and is treated in the same manner as the slimes.

A suitable reciprocating movement is iinparted to the entire table construction by operating mechanism 25, which is covered by another application, filed October 15, 1900, Serial No. 33,176. Hence the said operating mechanism will not be described in detail. This operating mechanism, however, imparts a movement which is calculated to cause the concentrates to travel toward the tail of the table or in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, while the tailings or gangue is carried downwardly and discharged from the lower edge of the table.

When the apparatus is in use, the material to be treated is discharged in the form of pulp into a feed-box 26, located at the upper left-hand corner of the table 5. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Fromthis feed-box the material passes to the rifed surface of the table, where the mineral values are caught by the riiiies and carried to the plain surface 27 of the table, where the iinal separation of the mineral from the gangue is effected. The concentrates proper are discharged over the right-hand extremity of the table. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The worthless tailings are caught by the trough 19, whose position is so regulated that it does not extend far enough toward the tail of the table to catch any middlings or tailings containing values. It will be understood that the nearer the tail of the table a discharge takes place the more likely is the discharged material to contain mineral values. Hence the position of the adjustable trough 19 may be regulated according to the material under treatment. The material caught by the trough 19 is discharged under the gate E into the trough E and thence into the discharge-conveyer 20 of the lower table. The middlings are discharged into the returnconveyer 18 in the rear of the tailings-conveyer 19 and carried thereby to the lower table for retreatment, as explained in the aforesaid patent. The slimes which pass lOO Aworthless material from the machine.

trough discharge passes directly into the dis-A charge conveyer 20, whence it passes as If any values pass over the lower edge of the table 6, it will occur near the extremity of the table farther to the right, (see Figs. 1 and.2,) and.

these may be `caught by the slidable trough 21 and conducted to a suitable receptacle (not shown) for retreatment.

The pure water necessary to effect the final separationof the material from the gangue on the plain portions 27 and 27 of the tables 5 and 6 is fed to the tables from troughs 28 and 28a, respectively. These troughs have perforated bottoms.- The'trough 28 is centrally divided by a partition 28C. If a comparatively small amount of water is needed, feed-water from a source of water-supply (not shown) is only fed to one compartment of the trough 28. required, `it is fed to both compartments of the trough, thus furnishing a double discharge. l

Below the discharge extremity of the tailings-conveyer 19 is formed a partition H, upon which the tailings fall from the conveyer 19 and pass to the upper extremityA of the trough E andV thence into the body of said trough when the gateE is open. The m'iddlings pass to the table 6 through an opening J,'forrned at the extremity of the return-conveyer 18.

The conveyer 21,heretofore mentioned, is

particularly useful to collect the zinc from the lower edge of the table 6, near the 'tail thereof. 'This zinc would otherwise pass into' sepaiating-ngers 17 are provided with joints 17,whereby their direction maybe changed'at pleasure Without loosening the set-screws 16.

In further explanation of the function of the metal rifties 12 it may be stated that by using the metal riftles it makes it practicable to employ a greater number of rifiies without occupying any more space on the table, since the metal riffles may be formed much thinner than the wooden rifties. Y

The slidable trough or carrier 19 is held in place by a set-screw 19C, passing through a slot 19d, formed4 in the flange of the trough andmade of suflcient length to permit the desired range of adj ustability or sliding move- Y ment.

Having thusdescribed my invention-,what I claim is 1. A concentrating apparatus comprising a It', however, more wash-water isY ylaterally-inchned, riftled table, havinga slimetrough extending diagonally across its head at the extremities of the riftles, and provided with a screen through which the slirnes pass to the trough, and a rib arrangedalong the slime-trough between the-lower edge of the screen and the riftled portion of the table, to dam the water and also prevent any of the settled concentrates from passing through the screen into the slime-trough.

2. In a concentrating apparatus the combination of two laterally-inclined table-sections, the lower of which is adapted to receive the tailings discharge from the lower edge of the upper table, a slime-trough arranged across the head of the upper table, rifiies extending longitudinally on the upper table and terminating at the slime-trough, a return-conveyer for carrying the tailings from the lower edge .of the upper table to therhead of the lower table, and a compartment separated fromthe return-conveyer and adapted to receive the clined table-sections, the upper section overlapping the lower section, a return-'conveyer arranged along the lower edge ofthe upper tableV and adapted to carry the middlings from the upper table to the head of the lower table, aslime-trough arranged across the head of the upper table, and a compartment separated from the return-conveyer and adapted to receive the slirnes from theslime-trough of the upper table, .the bottom of the slimetrough being provided with escape-openings allowing the slimesto pass to the lower table vin the rear of the discharge fromthe return-V conveyer.

4t. The combination of two laterally ine clined table-sections, soarranged that the .IOO

lower edge of the upper table overlaps the upper edge of the lower table, a return-conveyer arranged alongvthe lower edgevof the upper table, and adaptedto carrythe middlings discharge tothe head of the lower ta.-

Yble, and an auxiliary conveyor located above the return-conveyer-and adapted to catch the worthless portion of the tailings and discharge them from the machine. f l

5. The combination. with a laterallyinclined concentrating-table, having a move ment adapted to 'carry the concentratesover the tail ofthe table, ofa slotted bar extending around the lower corner of the tail of the table, set-screws passing through the slot of the bar, and separating-fingers Vattached to the setscrews whereby the fingersmay be adjusted at pleasure.l

6. The combination of-two laterallylin.-V

clined table-sections, ya return-conveyor ar*- ranged along the-lower edge ofthe upper table and adapted to carrythe middlings fromY the uppertable to the head of the lower ta.

one Vextremity or the tail of the table, of a bar located at the lower corner of the tail of the table and one or more jointed separatingngers connected with said bar and adjust- I5 able bodily thereon.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. LEHRRITTER.

Witnesses:

DORA C. SHICK, G. J. ROLLANDET. 

